Portable derrick



Aug 13, 1946. V L QOM|$ 2,405,794

PORTABLE DERRICK Filed July 11, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor GLENN.Z2L 0 OM l5 v G. LQ'LOOMIS PORTABLE DERRICK .Filed July 11, 1945 g I r Y "MWHMIQLM 55 t/z 2 Sheet-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 13, 1946 2,405,794 PORTABLE DERRICK Glenn L. Loomis, McAllen, Tex.

Application July 11, 1945, Serial No. 604,365

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to a new and useful improvement in derricks for drilling and servicing wells, and more particularly to a portable derrick together with means for easily, quickly and safely raising and lowering the derrick as a completed unitary structure.

An important object of the present invention is to simplify the usual procedure of building a derrick piece by piece from the ground up and to avoid the hazards of such procedure as well as to eliminate a great deal of highly specialized labor with its attendant high cost. The invention contemplates the construction of the derrick in a horizontal position on the ground and then raising the derrick to a vertical position at the place where it is to be used.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide simple and practical means for carrying out the aforementioned objects of invention.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the derrick in raised position.

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken substantially on a line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the earth anchor for the auxiliary mast.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view showing the auxiliary mast in position for raising the derrick, and

Figure 5 is a similar view showing the auxiliary mast and derrick in a horizontal position prior to raising thereof.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of invention, the numeral 5 designates a base or foundation which may be laid at the place where the derrick is to be erected.

A pair of blocks 6 are suitably secured to the base adjacent one end thereof, or embedded therein, and to which the lower ends of an auxiliary mast 1 are pivotally attached by means of pins or the like.

The mast 1 is preferably in the form of a pair of spaced apart legs 8 connected together by braces 9 of conventional construction and also having trusses |0 connected thereto for strengthening the legs. A pulley II is journaled at the upper end of the mast.

A pair of blocks l2 are similarly secured or em bedded in the base 5 adjacent its opposite end and to which a pair of the legs l3 of a derrick M are pivotally attached by means of pins or the like l5.

The derrick l4 may be of any conventional construction, the present embodiment illustrating a derrick of substantially U-shaped horizontal cross-section as indicated in Figure 2 of the drawings and also including a pair of rear legs IS, the legs being suitably connected to each other by bracing members A frame I8 is secured at the upper ends of the legs l3 and I5 and on which a pulley |9 is lournaled. The lower ends of the legs I6 are adapted to enter sockets 20 embedded or otherwise secured in the surface of the base 5.

A head-ache post 2| of conventional construction is also supported in an upright position on the base 5 between the auxiliary mast 1 and the derrick 4 and on the upper end of which a pulley 22 is journaled.

A hoisting drum 23 is also journaled in brackets 24 secured to the base, the drum being operated in any suitable manner for winding a drilling orhoisting cable 25 thereon.

In the operation of the apparatus the rig foundation or base 5 is placed in a desired position and the derrick I4 is assembled along the ground and its front legs l3 hinged to the foundation by the blocks l2.

The auxiliary mast 1 is also assembled on the ground and its legs 8 hinged to the blocks 6, the derrick and mast extending horizontally from opposite ends of the foundation as shown in Figure 5 of the drawings.

The drilling or hoisting cable 25 is unwound from the drum 23 and passed over the pulley 22 of the head-ache post 2| and under and around the pully II on the outer end of the mast and then back across the pulley 22 and around the pulley I9 of the derrick and then back to the free end of the mast 1 and tied or otherwise suitably secured thereto.

When the cable is reeled on the hoisting drum 23 the auxiliary mast 1 will swing upwardly and assume a' vertical position as shown in Figure 4 of the drawings until its arc of travel is arrested by a guy-wire 26 attached to the upper end of the mast and anchored in the ground by earth anchors 21, or by means of rigid braces in lieu of the guy-wire where the character of the earth so requires.

At this time all of the cables have left the pulley 22 of the head-ache post 2|. A continuation or the winding of the cable on the drum will then pull the derrick [4 to a vertical position so that the lower ends of the legs It will seat in the sockets 20 and may be secured therein in any suitable manner.

As soon as the derrick is in its raised position the auxiliary mast I is lowered to its original horizontal position, thereby being out of the way until it is required to lower the derrick by reversing the process above explained.

It is to be understood that the derrick may be constructed of welded tube sections, or it may be constructed of structural shapes or a combination of both. The derrick may also be constructed of any suitable size within limitations suitable for handling In view or the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the construction, operation and advantages of the apparatus will be quite apparent to those skilled in the art.

A more detailed description thereof is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though I have herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention that the same is susceptible to certain changes tully comprehended by the spirit of invention as herein described, and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention what I claim is:

1. Means for erecting a derrick as a unitary structure and comprising a foundation, means for pivotally attaching the lower end of the der rick to the foundation while the derrick is in a horizontal position, an auxiliary mast pivoted 4 at one end to the foundation for movement from a horizontal to a vertical position, said derrick and said mast having pulleys at the upper ends thereof, a post rising from the foundation between the derrick and the mast, a pulley journaled on the upper end of the post, a hoisting drum rotatably mounted on the foundation, a cable connected to the drum for winding thereon, said cable extending over the pulley carried by the post, around the pulleys carried by the mast and the derrick, and returned to the upper end of the mast for attaching thereto, said cable and drum being adapted to successively raise the mast and the derrick.

2. Means for erecting a derrick as a unitary structure and comprising a foundation, means for pivotally attaching the lower end of the derrick to the foundation while the derrick is in a horizontal position, an auxiliary mast pivoted at one end to the foundation for movement from a horizontal to a vertical position, said derrick and said mast having pulleys at the upper ends thereof, a post rising from the foundation between the derrick and the mast, a pulley journaled on the upper end of the post, a hoisting drum rotatably mounted on the'foundation, a cable connected to the drum for winding thereon, said cable extending over the pulley carried by the post, around the pulleys carried by the mast and the derrick, and returned to the upper end of the mast for attaching thereto, said cable and drum being adapted to initially raise the mast, a guy wire attached to the upper end of the mast to maintain the mast in its vertical position, and said cable and drum being adapted to subsequently raise the derrick.

GLENN L. LOOMIS. 

